16 Missed Alerts
by threeletterwords
Summary: A post New York reunion, where Blaine can't stop texting Kurt, and Kurt's complimentary copy of sky mall can't distract him from the emptiness of Blaineless arms.


My eyes scanned over strings of senseless words, and blurry photos I would never really see, mind far too preoccupied to focus on anything, let alone the mind-numbing dullness of Sky mall. I let my gaze wander to the time displayed on my wrist, pausing to grapple with my intense annoyance at the ever slowing ticking of tiny hands, inhaling deeply to stifle my irritation. In just 3 hours, I would see Blaine. I smothered the threatening grin before it really had a chance to arrive, forcing my features into a carefully schooled mask of cool.

I shouldn't be thinking like this.

I should be marveling at the fantastic cityscape far below us, at the semi's that appeared to fit in the palm of your hand, and of skyscrapers you were sure would barely scrape your ankles. At the very least, I should be silently fuming like the rest of my choir, furiously tapping fingers against slide out lunch tables as a substitute for therapeutic texting.

But I wasn't. I was eager, and sickeningly excited, and blindly in lov-

Can't say that yet. I don't want to jump to conclusions.

I lifted my eyes to peer tentatively over my magazine.

Right now, I couldn't begin to care about pent up tension, and heavy glances between my teammates. At least the people they loved were right there. Santana and Brittany, though confused and secretive, were _here_, together, in love.

I could see the endearing naivety on her face as her head lolled on Santana's shoulder, gazing up at her like their love was allowed no matter where they were, or who was watching. I didn't ever want to break that fragile fantasy. I could almost see harsh words cracking in webs across it's surface.

I spotted Finn and Rachel stealing glances from the seats across the aisle from each other, looking quickly away when they were caught, but not without breaking into an involuntary grin.

I watched as Tina and Mike burrowed together, lifting the armrest between their bodies, and snuggling into one, contended asian lump. The look in their eyes wasn't exactly foreign to me. It still felt like an intrusion to watch the intensity of their embrace, so I averted my eyes to let their privacy remain intact.

It was twisting something inside me, clenching my heart until it threatened to burst, all the love and devotion swirling around me, taunting me with what was waiting one state over. I was lost in the desperation of waiting, and I was fairly certain the squeezing wouldn't let up until my fingers were safely twined in his hair like they'd been itching to do all week, until we could make people uncomfortable with how much we cared about each other, and never leave the circle of the others arms.

I let my eyelids flutter closed, happily succumbing to exhaustion to give myself the much needed illusion of quickly passing time. But then something caught my eye.

My eyelids grudgingly raised to half mast, and my eyes swiveled lazily to recover the image that had startled me out of near slumber. It was Sam.

He was sitting alone, the unknown passenger had never claimed his seat, and he was happily stretched out across both, arms crossed firmly over his chest, eyes trained on my best friend.

Well... okay. Blaine was technically my best friend. And Rachel has actually been spending a lot more time with m- okay point is, he was gawping at Mercedes.

I shook off the surprise, suddenly alert. She was staring back. And then information was rushing at me, memories of flirty little glances I was too preoccupied to see. Of shared jackets and tardiness for glee rehearsals, and extra long coffee breaks.

They were totally together! I exhaled loudly, indignant. I was an idiot, too wrapped up in Blaine to even see them.

Then again. That meant that _all_ of the glee club was blissfully wiling away the hours on this dragging flight with their honey's, while I was aching with loneliness, and freezing cold without his touch.

It wasn't fair. He was so far away, and every moment felt wasted, useless, to be thrown at the bottom of my garbage heap of bad memories because they weren't spent with him. It probably wasn't right to feel this empty without Blaine by my side. But my insides twisted painfully when I thought about not seeing him, my body craved his touch, and I grinned blindingly every time his name was uttered.

I think I'm in love.

Thank god. Thank god, thank god, thank god! I bounced restlessly in my seat, silently urging the seatbelt sign to flicker off. This was torture. Absolute torture. He was right here, I was minutes away from his perfect eyes, his calloused hands, the warmest, safest place I'd ever been within his arms. And I was waiting for a fucking light to be switched off.

My friends were just waking up from their dozing, packing ipods away, and rubbing their eyes. I licked my lips anxiously, studying my escape route. It would be full to the brim with milling idiots, and I would be that much farther away from getting off this plane. I rolled my eyes back and sighed exasperatedly to no one.

Struck with an idea, I dug my cellphone out hastily, scanning missed texts filled with treasured words that I had sadly missed while in the air. I grinned when I spotted 16 missed alerts. Blaine had been missing me.

My heart soared as I opened them one by one.

_COME ON TIME. Bend for me. I keep yelling at the clock. No joke. It refuses to go faster. :( Come back to me! -B xox_

_I'm officially leaving for the airport. It's not even midnight. I know you don't even get in until four. BUT I CAN'T WAIT. Seriously, what are you doing to me Mr Hummel? Can't wait to see you. -B xox_

_This sucks so bad. I miss you. I know you can't even respond to these. Am I crazy? Maybe. ABOUT YOU. You love puns. Don't deny. See you soon Kurt. -B xox_

_Oh god. I have an addiction. Whether it's to my phone, or you I can't be sure. Hurry the hell up Hummel. I'm waiting. -B xox_

_I think I'm going to break your phone. Is it possible to break your phone with endless texts? Challenge accepted! It's going to happen. I really want to see you in person though. Really. See ya babe. -B xox_

_Was that weird? That babe thing? You called me that once. I _really_ like it. Like really. God, I miss you. -B xox_

_Are you still coming? You're taking FOREVER. You know what, I don't even feel bad about breaking your phone anymore. I'll never stop talking to you. -B xox_

_Your dad just got here. He's pacing. It's freaking me out. My arms feel empty. Come get in 'em. I miss your witty responses right now. Kuuurt. Hurry up. -B xox_

_Am I even making sense anymore? It's so late. I don't even care. I just want to see your face. Could this be defined as clingy? Am I the clingy boyfriend? I don't even CARE, I just want to hear your voice! -B xox_

_This airport is depressing. Come save me. Seriously, it hurts not to be with you right now. Get your ass over to Ohio. -B xox_

_Are you in the air? Your probably sleeping. Looking all adorable. Actually no, I know you better than that. You're sitting, perfectly alert, looking out the window and watching the world go by. Thinking of me? Wishful thinking maybe. I'm thinking of you. -B xox_

_I mean, In case you hadn't noticed. XD Oh, god. KURT. You're much better company than your father. (He's threatened me four times) Save me and I'll give you kisses? -B xox_

_LALALALA. I have animal stuck in my head. I love that song. It's making me think of you even MORE. GOD. I don't know what I'll do when you go to new york after next year. :( -B xox_

_Okay, animal was a bad song 'd probably be all cute and annoyed if you were here. Wish I could see it. I was stupid back then! How could I not see how sexy you are? The fumes from my gel are going to my head. -B xox_

_Ooh. I'm going to die. WHERE ARE YOU? Your flight is delayed. I'm going to kill someone. I legitimately yelled at the guy at the information desk when he told me. I was all, 'My boyfriend's on that plane. Tell that god damn pilot to get here now!' he was unimpressed. Okay, I didn't actually say that. -B xox_

_Are you here yet? I think I'm going to collapse on the floor and inhale the smell of old gum and shoe soles. That'll be more fun than sitting here without you with nothing to do. I miss you so much. -B xox_

_I'm here. :) I miss you too. Sooo much. Seriously. I yelled at a dog yesterday for looking happy. I'm minutes away babe. I can't wait. God, I can't wait. -K xoxo_

I wiped away the mist accumulating at the corners of my eyes, and ignored the ridiculous, cheesy grin plastered on my face. Finn nudged me from his spot at my side, a silent question in his eyes. I just shook my head. I couldn't explain. Mercedes looked at me suspiciously, Tina with a knowing look in her eyes. And then the seatbelt faded into blackness, and I shot to my feet, sidling through the growing throng of people, as my friends looked on, confused. I muttered apologies and shoved a tad harder than I would any other day, yanking my bag up on my shoulder and grimacing at the added weight, along with the one on my subconscious.

"I said excuse me!" I huffed, and slipped through two particularly slow passengers.

Then I was there, right at the front of the craft, waving away the faux friendly words from the crew members, plastic smiles pasted on their faces.

I was off and running before I could really register that I never run.

Fatigue dropped at my feet, along with my pointless hang ups about cleanliness and appearance after a 6 hour flight, and I booked it, all the way out past the gate. I skid to a stop there, head whipping around and trying to drink in the only semi familiarity of Lima's only airport. I frowned, internally in a flurry of panic.

How did I get to him? I was in the same effing building, and still so, so far away.

"Dude? Why you running so fast?" I spun on the spot to find the entire group standing there, looking at me quizzically, baggage in tow. I almost laughed. My answer should be glaringly obvious. I wasn't rushing to get away from New York, that was for sure. There was one thing in Lima for me. Him. The guy I'd been texting every five minutes the entire trip, the first one I called, before I'd even talked to the friends right in front of me when we lost nationals. My boyfriend was here, and they were seriously asking me what the rush was?

"Blaine." I gasped his name, like it was sacred. Which in a way, to me, it was. Finn nodded slowly. And I caught a few sympathetic looks tossed my way. I shrugged and looked at them meaningfully. I didn't need pity. I needed Blaine. Right now. Rachel seemed to get it because she nodded sharply, not surprisingly taking charge of the situation.

"Baggage claim's over there. He'll be in the seating area right beside it." I nodded gratefully and sprinted in that direction, ignoring the muttered surprise that rippled through the group at my abrupt departure. I weaved through unsuspecting people, stumbling around tiredly as if designed to annoy me. Suddenly the signs stopped directing me to the baggage claim, and I spotted the carrousel for luggage, just now shuddering to life. My eyes shot to the space around it, scanning seats, and searching for a familiar mop of curls. My eyes settled for a moment on my fathers familiar form, brow furrowing in confusion.

"Kurt!" I spun around faster than I thought was possible, back in the direction from whence I had come. My eyes briefly flutter over the emerging shape of 11 familiar people, before they rested on the most beautiful man I had ever seen. The most beautiful anything I had ever seen. He had a cheap styrofoam cup clutched in his hands, clearly just purchased from the cafe behind him, his eyes wide open in relief. His curls hung free around his face, a light stubble tracing his jaw, clothing casual and clearly not thought out. I almost laughed. His face slowly melted into a grin, and he barely had time to shove the cup onto his nearest surface, before he was running. I heard the faint thunk of my bag dropping to the floor behind me, vaguely aware that I would be disgusted by airport floor under any other circumstances. Then I was rocketing towards him, converse making faint thuds against the worn tile as I ran faster than I ever had before, heart swelling in my chest as his form got closer and closer.

I was barely aware of anything. It could have been hailing kittens. God himself could've been standing beside me, and I never would have let my eyes stray from my boyfriends.

I collided with him quite suddenly, and _god_ I had missed this. I was drowning in his warmth, the firm planes of his chest flush against mine, the soft pressure of his hands at my back.

He caught me with ease, spinning me around him once, my feet off the ground for a moment before he was lowering me to be even more tightly folded into his body. He let his arms overlap around me, and I could feel his grin against my neck. I clutched him as tightly as I possibly could, fingers finally, _finally_ tightening in his thick curls, and in his tattered blue cardigan.

"_Blaine_..." I breathed into his shoulder, almost sobbing with the heavenly relief of being in his embrace, of smelling that indescribable smell that lived at his neck, addictive and comforting. I chuckled, just aware enough to know how cliched and ridiculous we must look. I could feel Blaine's hands running over my back, through my hair, arms tight around my waist.

"Kurt... oh, Kurt. I missed you, so, so much. I can't even tell you..."

He leaned back, and stared at me, this reverence in his eyes. I breathed out and shot him a slightly watery grin.

"I know." I Pressed my forehead in to his temple, clutching tighter at his hair, and breathing, easy and steady for the first time in days. Our eyes slipped closed and we basked, for what might have been a decade, wrapped so tightly in each other that considering time or other people was impossible.

He broke away finally, and swept my hair away from my face, leaning in without hesitation to capture my lips in a long, bruising kiss.

"Mm. Blaine, I swear to god, I'm never going to leave again. That was excruciating. I still kind of miss you. You're right here, and I still..." I trailed off as he kissed me again, longer and passionately.

"That's right I'm here. And I'm not letting you leave. I don't know what you've done to me Kurt, but apparently I don't have a mind of my own when you're not here. I was a incoherent mess. I'm so glad you're back." I beamed at him and let my hands slide down to either side of his face, reveling in _feeling_ his smile beneath my fingertips.

"I'm kind of crazy about you. Even though you're wearing that." I felt the rumbling laughter through our tightly pressed chests and it got me going too. We chuckled for several minutes, foreheads still inclined to touch gently.

Stares, disgusted and understanding alike, melted into the background, cries of reunited couples providing a nice kind of soundtrack for our long awaited moment.

I never got to see my dad's eyes fill up with proud, strangely reminiscent tears, nor did I see my friends smile softly at out intertwined forms.

All I could see was him.

A/N~ Okay... Klaine keeps invading my mind at inopportune moments. AND I HAVE TO WRITE IT OR IT HAUNTS ME. I imagined an adorable post New York reunion involving texts, and this poured out. I'm actually decently proud of it, and I will actually kill for reviews. Seriously, I average at about 5 reviews per story, and just those 5 make me unspeakably psyched. SO YEAH. I hope you enjoyed my shameless fluff. Sorry about the rather OOC swearing. I swear a lot. That's why it's rated T, kiddies. Thanks for reading. :) Y'all are awesome.


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